Back from Down Under

I'm here again, typing on my home computer after a very long, fun, educational and inspiring month. Traveling to the Congregations of Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong. Sharing best practices and talking about shared challenges. Explaining a bit the situation here in Israel and meeting a lot of interesting people who are doing important work in the diaspora.
My only regret is that I didn't have time to really update this blog while being away. There were so many interesting encounters and so little time to report on them. I hope you enjoyed reading the Torah Portion I've added here, those are the actual ones I used in the temple in Sydney and in Melbourne. This week I'm adding the Ki Tisa one.

Next week is the Connections 2009 conference of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. I'm going to speak there about Kehila 2.0-connecting the Internet Generation to the reform movement. I'll report to you soon (I hope) all about that

Back In Israel, Talking about "Ki Tisa" Portion

“Ki Tisa” Torah Portion is one of my favorites. In fact, I think this Torah portion is heaven for sermon writers. Rabbis, poets, teachers, philosophers and thinkers have written piles of texts about the Golden Calf, which represented to them everything from consumerism to television, from Zionism to New Age, and many other modern interpretations. I, however, see a deeper truth in this story, which can be found not necessarily in the act of worship itself, but in that human trait that makes it difficult for people to just sit and wait.

In the Biblical story, the Israelites await Moses at the foot of Mount Sinai; Moses has been up there for many days and the people simply cannot wait any longer. They say to Aharon: “Come, make us a God who shall go before us, for that man Moses, who brought us from the land of Egypt – we do not know what has happened to him” (Exodus 32:1). The Israelites are left without their leader and they are confused and anxious. They look for that immediate feeling of security, they want to feel good – right away.

No one likes being in a state of uncertainty. Our primal instincts make us fear the worst at such moments, and we are ready to pay any price to avoid such a feeling of uncertainty. A state of certainty, on the other hand, brings to us a sense of security, belonging and understanding, that allows us to enjoy life. It was Sigmund Freud who spoke of the “Pleasure Principal”, attributing human behavior to the desire for maximum pleasure and minimum pain. And that is what the Israelites demanded. They wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet that came with the idea that “there is someone we can count on”. They wanted to eat and drink, offer sacrifice and enjoy a joyous, communal celebration that arouses all the senses. They did not want to postpone their satisfaction for even a single moment.

In the 1960’s, Walter Michelle from Stanford University conducted an experiment in which he gave four-year-olds a marshmallow, and promised each child a second marshmallow if they waited twenty minutes before eating the first one. Some children were able to wait, others were not. The researchers kept track of the children until they were teenagers, and showed that those children who were able to wait were more adaptive and more responsible. Additionally, the average result of their SAT’s was higher by 210 points.

So what do we learn from the marshmallow experiment? We learn, of course, that delayed gratification pays off in the long run. Despite that, people are often unable to think about the long term. This is true especially if you live in a place like Israel, where it’s tempting to live by the guiding principal of “Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die”. Israel is a country under constant threat that cannot, even for one brief moment, reach that desired feeling of security. And what happens when you are unsure about your future? You start living for today. Israelis don’t plan five years ahead, not even one year ahead. We live for the moment, for right now. Politicians do not think beyond their own term, people think about how to make their day the most enjoyable they can. Global warming? Who wants to worry about the future? Thinking about the environment means delaying the immediate gratifications that comes from using the available resources.

The environmental issue is not foreign to the Israeli Reform movement, which hopes to change attitudes within Israeli society. The Reform movement works to bring back that lost sense of community and mutual responsibility that is sometimes sacrificed on the altar of immediate needs. The idea of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, demands a global look at the world as a place of justice and equality; not just a search for what is best for the individual. This means that we must look at the weaker parts of society, at the new immigrant who is abused by his employee because he does not speak good Hebrew; the gerim (foreigners) who live among us and are not welcomed into society; the refugee who made it to Israel after suffering persecution and personal trauma, who encounters governmental imperviousness. We must think about them, even if it means scarifying the things we enjoy.

Social activists like ourselves should also learn not to expect immediate gratification. We want to enjoy the fruits of our labor immediately, through a social change in our place, in our time. But the processes involved are long-term, they require resources, time and patience, and often we have no choice but to delay the immediate gratification that may come from quick but temporary achievements, in exchange for a longer-term, more profound result in the future.

In the discussed Torah portion, when Moses descends from the mountain, holding God’s Torah, he reaches the camp and sees the Golden Calf. The Israelites have fallen for a temporary pleasure, an illusion. When Moses says angrily, “Whoever is on the side of God, follow me”, only the Levites join him, following his promise for a better future. The consequence is, of course, disastrous to all the other tribes.

So postponing satisfaction is, we learn from the Torah, one of the most difficult things for a human being. It challenges our very nature. But if we stand up to this challenge we can make miracles happen. Let us try to build, in today’s Israeli society, a vision, a sense of belief in the future – a future that may sometimes seem like an elusive dream. Let us bring alive the idea that together we can make a difference, promote peace, justice and equality, and help shape the global Jewish community and make it more effective, more successful, more responsible. Ultimately, this will be the most satisfactory accomplishment we can hope for.

Speaking about Parashat Trumah in Melbourne

Trumah Torah portion is not easily read, not even by Hebrew speakers. It is dedicated entirely to a meticulously detailed description of the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), for which all the materials were brought in by the Israelites. This Torah portion tells us which materials are to be collected and put together, what part should be placed on top and what should be placed next to what. This Torah portion seems like a complicated Ikea instruction manual, with exceptional depth and elaboration.

A famous saying claims that “God is in the little details”, and this is beautifully explained in this Torah portion. God is in the place where a lot of thought was invested, where the little details were thought out; God is not in a ready-made place but in one where men labored.

This reminds me of something that my father used to say: “if you do something, do it right”. If you want to earn your colleagues’ respect, to leave a trace of your own, to do something significant, don’t just do it offhandedly but do it right, put your heart into it, put in the time, effort and though it requires.

On the other hand, my mother had a saying of her own. When I would bring home something I made in art class, for instance a figure of an animal – that bore little resemblance to anything you may find in a zoo – my mother would say: “it’s the thought that matters”. What she meant was: even if you didn’t invest a lot of time and thought and the result is not exactly right, it is your good intentions that are important.

Well, my friends, this dilemma is still with me today. How should I tackle the tasks of life? Should I put my entire self into each and every task, perform each with all my heart and soul? This would be the ideal thing to do, but is it possible with so many things to do and such limited time? On both the job front and the family and social circles, the tasks are so many. Not to mention studying, which I would love to take up seriously, and the social causes to which I am eager to commit. So maybe I shouldn’t put so much effort into one task but do a little of everything? A little work, family life, friends, school, social projects – maybe this would be the magic formula? Perhaps this is the only way we can get things done.

When I was quite young I wanted very much to go to university. I remember myself still in high school, looking through university web sites, selecting courses long before I even enrolled. During my internet searches I was always amazed to read about the professors who had dedicated their lives to their specific research, such as to investigating some African beetle. What could be so important about one tiny beetle, I wondered. Why would this professor invest so much time and effort in a beetle, rather than in other, more important causes? But on the other hand, he is one of the world’s experts on this beetle, he knows he gave the world his very own, distinct, contribution, backed by all the heart and courage it takes to promote the knowledge of humanity on this very specific subject. So what would be the most significant way to live your life? Which way brings you more influence?

As a member of the Board of the Israeli Reform Movement, I can tell you that this dilemma preoccupies not only me personally but also our movement as a whole. The Israeli society of today is full of gaps that need to be filled. In secular schools, too little emphasis is given to Jewish education, and our surveys show that the Israeli secular public is eager for more progressive Jewish content. If you know the history of the Israeli Reform Movement you can appreciate how incredible the findings of these surveys are. Hundreds of thousands of new immigrants are waiting for the Jewish leaders who will welcome them into Judaism through a process that respects them as modern people. Millions of Israeli Jews are waiting for that Jewish experience that is also Israeli and communal in nature, an experience that will allow them, if only for one Shabbat, a peek into their own tradition without violating the value of equality that is so dear to them. Many assignments are facing the Israeli Reform Movement, but too little time and too few resources are at hand. So there is that age-old dilemma again: should we focus on one mission? Should we do one small thing with our best efforts? Or should we spread out, help out in many areas but on a smaller scale?

This is, of course, a difficult philosophical question to which there is no clear answer. If we look again at our Torah portion, we will see that the building process was done with materials brought in by different people – each brought in their own special contribution. Some donated gold, others brought in scarlet and crimson dyed wools. Each one contributed something. To create meaning, to leave a trace, to do something the way it should be done, we need to work together. We need to realize that “no man is an island”, as the British poet put it. We must realize that each of us can give a little something, and together, as a society, a movement, an international, Israeli and Australian Jewish community, we can achieve our goals. If we only use our human advantage, each within their own field and their own distinct capability.

In our Torah portion, everybody contributed something to the process but probably not all participated in the actual building. I think this is fine. This is in fact the only way we can live. Some build while others help around, and when another project comes along, it will be those others who will do the building while their friends will now be helpers or contributors.

And this is my answer to the question I raised before. We should each ask ourselves: in what area will my contribution be distinct? What is my expertise? What are my most outstanding properties, which can be of use to society? Once we have answered these questions, we will know what the right field is for us to commit to, and in what other fields we should be helpers and contributors, assisting others who are performing the task.

And let us remember that the task described in our Torah portion is not just ordinary building. It is the building of the tabernacle – a process that served, by itself, as a spiritual experience that strengthened the Israelites. I wish us all that we choose those tasks and projects that will bring us peace and spiritual elevation. I wish us all that we dedicate ourselves, as Rabbi Kook once said, to increasing the goodness in the world.

Speaking about Parashat Mishpatim in Sydney

Last Saturday, I landed at the airport in Perth. After a few hours of sleep I woke up early enough to make it to Shacharit at Temple David Congregation. That was my first day in Australia and I was excited to meet the local community. When I entered, I was approached by the Gabbai who asked if I could read the Haftarra for parashat Yitro. I looked at him in shock and said to him, confidently that the Torah portion this week was Mishpatim and I knew this because I had prepared next week's portion of parashat Trumah for Sydney. After exploring this subject with some fellow congrgants, I found out I had miscounted the Parashot of Exodus. So, I had actually thought that I would be standing here talking about the building of the Mishkan in parashat Trumah but now I was faced with Mishpatim.

Reading Mishpatim is not a simple task. It seems that up until this point the books of Genesis and Exodus have presented interesting narratives, stories of dysfunctional families, long term conflicts and some cool revelations. All the ingredients of a successful soap opera. Mishpatim, on the other hand starts with very long and exhausting statements of law after law after law… And then I had an interesting insight. Until now, I was in the role of a reader. I read stories of famous people in early periods. Despite the fact that I understood the importance of these stories to human history, they did not demand anything of me personally. But starting with the Decalogue and following with Mishpatim, I'm no longer a passive reader. Now I'm thinking "Where am I in all of this?", what is my opinion on these laws, taking into account the modern times I live in. And given all of this, how do I continue the long chain of Jewish tradition. It could all be summed up in one question: "What is my responsibility as a Jew?".

For the Jews who live in Israel, the situation is not simple. The Zionist Ideology that started at the end of the 19th century did not particularly arise from a religious perspective. The state of Israel throughout its years has emphasized the Sabre, the Israeli worker and fighter over the studious and contemplative Jew. That's why we find today in modern Israel two groups. The religious orthdox who want a country of Halacha, a country that keeps Parashat Mishpatim almost literally. And on the other side, a secular population for whom the Halacha of Parashat Mishpatim is archaic and irrelevant. This situation arose from years of neglect in the field of Jewish education and the secular population is fed up with religion being attached to the state.

And this is where the most important role of the IMPJ lies. This is also the reason why I, at the age of 18, decided to join the reform movement. As a kid growing up secular, I felt that it wasn't right that I didn't have a clue when it came to Judaism. I felt that the Jewish identity is way to important in my family history to be taken for granted. I was lucky enough to work with youth from the diaspora and observe different models of being Jewish. To know that I don't have to return to orthodoxy, to start wearing black and to study all day in Yeshiva in order to get a rich Jewish education. To know that I don't have to sit separately from my mother at the shul to get a spiritual Shabbth experience. This is the message I wanted to bring to Israeli society, this is the mission I've felt. We must change the way Israelis grasp their Jewish Identity and there couldn't be any more suitable organization for this task, than the IMPJ.

In recent years, we have been witnessing an increase in interest of the secular population in the services the Israeli movement provides. It turns out that due to the current financial and security crises many have returned to look for a community, for a sense of togetherness, for new spirituality and meaning. Research that has been done recently in Bar-Ilan University has found 40 new groups that define themselves as secular and meet regularly to celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat. And this has all happened in the last four years. We have seen an increase in adult bible, Talmud and Kabbalah studies. We've seen major demands for reform weddings and reform conversions. A recent survey that was ordered by the Progressive Movement showed that most Israelis are interested in reform-oriented Jewish education at secular schools. One of the major achievements, of recent years, was that the state of Israel has agreed to fund the buildings of four reform congregations.

A project especially close to my heart is Mechina – An educational project for students, who have just finished high-school and decide to take a gap year before army service. This year is dedicated to studies and social action. In the mechina, the participants shape their jewish communal lives and decide what form their spiritual life will take. That's exactly the kind of responsibility for your own Jewish life that I was talking about. Because the mechina is so new, I didn't have the opportunity to participate. But I have been lucky enough this year to serve as a member of its teaching staff. This year, the ministry of Education has decided to sponsor a large part of the operating costs, making it the first reform education project that has been formally recognized by the state of Israel.

Despite all of this success, the challenges are many. The market survey I've already mentioned has also found that one third of Israel's Jewish population doesn't know what Reform Judaism is and another equally large proportion has the wrong idea of what Reform Judaism really is. We need to improve how we get our message across and how to spread it more widely. We need to find resources to continue addressing the burning issues in Israeli public life.

Now I would like to return to Parashat Mishpatim because these laws are not just individual guidelines, but serve as common ground. They remind us of our shared journey, the journey that Jews in Israel and the Diaspora must take together. Parashat Mishpatim reminds us of our one destiny and that we are dependent on one another. A few months ago I facilitated a discussion with a group of Americans who contribute regularly to the state of Israel but do not feel that they have the right to influence its policies. I said to them that it's your duty to try to effect Israel's policies, not because of your generous contributions, but because Israel is a joint venture. Every action that Israel takes, effects you in the Diaspora as well. Our destiny is a shared one, our mission is a common one. We could in our lives achieve a state of affairs where Jewish identity in Israel is no longer taken for granted. We could enable a moral and educational code that nurtures both Jewish values and those values of the modern world that encourage equality, tolerance and human rights. And in the end, to encourage this outcome is our joint responsibility.

Post Election feelings in Hong Kong

Wow, what once was a boring election time has become one of the more complexed political moments in the history of Israel. It seems that every Israeli on election day was strategizing. No random vote was cast. Left wing People voted Livni because they wanted to prevent the win from Bibi. Right wing voted for the clear-cut and seemingly racist Avigdor Liberman (that came out with the genious slogan for the Israeli vote "Only Liberman understand Arabic"). This might be the main reason the Kadima came with their hand (slightly) on top.The result however shows how divided Israel currently is and that's a reason to worry. I decided to vote for Meimad, which for me seemed like the only movement that truly belong for the 21th centry global and green politics, unfortunately, it's not the time for this kind of thinking in Israel.

It's very weird for me to be abroad on result night and the day after. The pilot on the El-Al flight read us the poll results at 22:00 ( there was a great surprise on a lot of people's faces and even applause) and gave us the real results at 06:00 A.M.
I'm trying to read the Israeli websites since then and see CNN. In the next few days things will be very very difficult for the parties in Israel and I'm really curious on what will be the outcome. I read in Ha'aretz that there are voices saying that Kadima and the Labor should unite. While it seems that now is the best time for such a move, I can't really imagine the social labor mix with Kadima liberals. We shall have to wait and see.

I'm now here in the super-interesting city of Hong Kong and I'm hosted by Shani Ben-Or, the community cantor and also a former Machina participant. She lives on floor number four, which for the chinese is a sign of bad luck (The word four sounds like the word death in one of their Dialects and so they avoid it at any cause, a bit similar to the obsession of christians with 13, which reminds me, I'm flying from here on Friday the 13th, Spooky!). The Urban view is amazing and still it has a green tropical side to it, really beautiful.

I'm attaching a phot, taking at Victoria Peak with Shani,
I will write more updates real soon so be sure to check it out.

Paul Liptz's "In the Hamas Mind"

Paul Liptz is a friend and a great teacher. He teaches at both HUC and the World Union's Saltz Center. This Article was just sent to that center mailing list and beacuse they havent added it yet to their site resources. I thought it would be O.K to add the entire thing here. Don't forget to check their website for other great texts and events.



IN THE HAMAS MIND


Paul Liptz

Jan 4, 2009

As a child growing up in a liberal Jewish family in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), I was taught to be wary of expressing the view that any section of the population may indeed have specific group "traits". All human beings were just that- "human beings" and within each and every one of us is both good and bad. My university years reinforced the intellectual leftist approach which denied the concept of intractable conflicts and maintained that every harsh reality could be improved. However, with maturity and relentless reading by Middle Eastern writers and political documents by Hamas, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda, I have moved from my former idealistic position and accept that when Hamas states that it is committed to destroying us, we should take these claims seriously. I believe that one has to respect the enemy and to accept the honesty of their declared goals. The problem isn't about land or economic improvement or peace. Tragically it's just about the total rejection of the concept of a Jewish State.

I am convinced that Islamic fundamentalists (or to use a softer term) Islamists, really do look at the world differently from us. Thus, our survival, regardless of where we live on this planet, demands a close and honest look at their standpoint.

Let's try and enter the Hamas mind. Like Al Qaeda and Hezbollah, the starting off point is undoubtedly the Koran. This book, like the sources of other religions, can be read in numerous ways. In both the Old and New Testaments, one can easily evoke an awful thesis of superiority and lack of concern for the other. In the case of the Islamists, the other, be he/she an infidel, Christian or Jew, is a lowly person who is often despised and rejected. The world is sharply divided between dar-al-Islam (the abode of Islam) and dar al-harb (the abode of war) without anything in between. While the Koran has an abundance of impressive humanistic components, the Islamist admires the most derogatory.

For many Hamas members, Israelis and Jews are no different from infidels even though on paying a poll tax, they could claim the protected status of al-dhimma. However, this "protected" concept is only in relation to an individual and Islam rejects the concept of a sovereign dhimmi state. Thus the Christian, Jewish or modernizing Muslim state has to be destroyed by jihad as a duty by the community as a whole. This form of self-sacrifice enables a person killed in war to become a shahid, a martyr with the benefits of a Paradise with 72 black-eyes beautiful virgins who will become the martyr's brides together with an abundance of food and drink. In addition the martyr will ensure an easy entrance to heaven for 70 family members. [M.Milson, Memri, December, 2007]

The 6000 rockets on Israeli civilian targets during the last 8 years are integral to their religious perspectives. It is not just about attacking a sovereign state. Thus Hamas is no different from Al Qaeda which rejects any state on earth which does not abide to its particular interpretation of traditional Islam.

Hamas has three interpretations of how it should deal with Israel. There is the:-

- Hudna: a truce, which implies recognition of the other party's actual existence, without acknowledging its legitimacy.

- Tahidya: a period of calm or limited cease fire

- or the most favored, conflict. [J. Halevi, Jerusalem Issue Brief, June 2008]

This is the reason why vast sections of the Muslim Arab world so vehemently opposed Egypt's peace treaty with Israel and totally boycotted an Arab country. Anwar Sadat was assassinated because he had broken an essential tenet of Islam. The Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt still rejects the Israeli-Egyptian agreement.

Added to these religious interpretations, it is vital to appreciate that Hamas also has a modern interpretation of Israel, in much the same way as Al Qaeda sees the United States and the western world.

How could it possibly be that this minute Jewish group (0.2% of the world) could ever have its own state? The day to day functioning of the State of Israel has undoubtedly been a remarkably successful venture and this has only added to their sense of humiliation. Israel has given a good life to most of its citizens, works hard on the issue of democracy, has an open press and even permits demonstrators to wave Hamas flags during the war.

From the Hamas perspective, there is one additional point which adds to their infuriation. Several Arab countries actually understand why Israel doesn't intend to commit national self-suicide and, in their heart of hearts, want Israel to win this latest conflict. Their well being depends on radical Islamic states and organizations being defeated.

Tragically many Hamas members live with serious delusions. They actually believe that Israel doesn't have the stamina to carry out an intense military response nor its ability to withstand global criticism. They seem to think that Israel's vibrant, argumentative political life is a weakness, whereas in reality, it's a strength. Too many of the Gaza leaders forget that the hard earned building of this Jewish desert land and the accomplishment of a stable, middle class society have not weakened us, but rather the opposite.


There is clearly still a long way to go before Hamas-type people and their supporters recognize the need for a dramatic change in their attitudes. The Middle East overflows with unfulfilled dreams. This area of some 350 million people, with its natural resources and capable citizens, should have done much better.


Perhaps, some day in the distant future, Hamas will appreciate that the ongoing attempts to defeat Israel and blame the western world for its multiple failures, has seriously harmed them. However, until then, all defenders of freedom have to support Israel's right to exist.


All in all, my hopes are fairly simple. I want to spend time with my family, enjoy my work, live a healthy life and try to understand the world around me without becoming cynical. In addition, I'll continue to dream of the day when my Palestinian neighbors less than a mile away from our house will also be doing similar things.


Paul Liptz (Pbliptz@netvision.net.il) was on the faculty of Tel Aviv University for 35 years. He is now on the staff of the Anita Saltz International Education Center and the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem.

Sense of humor (even at difficult times)

I just got this picture via e-mail that just made me burst into laughing while working in my university lab.



For the non-Hebrew speakers, this is roughly what written here:


In case that this apartment receives a direct hit (from a rocket):
Police and Army people: calm down, were at my parents
Property Tax People: this apartment once contained plasma screen TV, a bottle of Bordeaux harvested at 1706 and a very rare, antique porcelain sculpture.
Cable Company People: The plasma screen TV was used as a flowerpot.
Rutie: If we got hit, we are not paying you the "house utilities" fee.